20-0803-Hyper Education with Pawan Dhingra, Ph.D.

An up-close look at the education arms race of after-school learning, academic competitions, and the perceived failure of even our best schools to educate children. Beyond soccer leagues, music camps, and drama lessons, today’s youth are in an education arms race that begins in elementary school. In Hyper Education, Pawan Dhingra uncovers the growing world of high-achievement education and the after-school learning centers, spelling bees, and math competitions that it has spawned. It is a world where immigrant families vie with other Americans to be at the head of the class, putting in hours of studying and testing in order to gain a foothold in the supposed meritocracy of American public education. A world where enrichment centers, like Kumon, have seen 194 percent growth since 2002 and target children as young as three. Even families and teachers who avoid after-school academics are getting swept up. To learn more about Provocative Enlightenment Radio, go to http://www.provocativeenlightenment.com